Maple Leaf Prime Pork Recipe Contest - update!

Last month I posted my recipe that I contributed to the Maple Leaf Prime Pork recipe contest. Did you know the contest is still on, and you have lots of time left to vote (repeatedly) for me?

You do!

So head over to facebook, and visit the Maple Leaf page. You have to "like" the page, and then click on the red box that says Vote Now, and then you can click on (MY) any recipe you like, and then click on the "like" button.

It's not as complicated as I make it sound.

I got a little thrill when I found out that the Maple Leaf chefs tried my recipe out and liked it. I thought that was pretty cool.

You can see the video BELOW, thanks Elizabeth! here if you like. I can't get the video to embed. It's 5:30 in the morning and I haven't slept yet and surprisingly it's not the baby's fault.



I am off to hide from the internet for a few more days. Life is shooting lemons at me pretty hard these days, and I seem to have lost the recipe for lemonade.

Bah.

Happy long weekend.

So corny

It was sort of weird. I started that "Here's what I ate today" week as a way to pull myself out of a cooking rut. I figured that maybe if I put a little bit of fun into it I'd feel more interested. Maybe find some new recipes to try. Instead it did the opposite, big time. I didn't want to cook, didn't want to post. Thought about hitting the delete button on my blog. So instead I turned off the computer and walked away. No blog, no email, no facebook or twitter. It was nice. And relaxing. Except for the part where my camera ate a whole bunch of pictures, personal and food related. Dammit.

I went to my very first corn maze a couple of days ago.

Our weather did a 180 turn last Thursday. The morning was sunny and hot and by the afternoon it was much cooler, with a big wind storm that turned to rain and thunder. The wind was so fierce I had to take the baby out of the stroller and try to protect him from the wind and blowing debris as we ran for cover. The rain only lasted a day but the temperatures have stayed low.

The maze was pretty fun. At most parts the corn was heading towards 7 feet tall. We were lost for about 30 minutes. My arms and back got a workout pushing the stroller over and under and around mud and rocks and dips and fallen corn. Not that Paxton noticed.

The signs outside the maze say not to pick any corn while you're in the maze. So when we were done I bought some corn to take home and freeze.

I decided to try 2 methods for freezing the corn. The basic blanch and freeze,

and also a recipe I found on Cooks.com where you don't boil the corn first, just cut it off the cobs and freeze it with a "brine".


I'm going to give them a couple of weeks in the freezer, then try them and see what we think. We're heading back that way this weekend; I think I'll be bringing more home if I'm lucky.

We're on a break!

Sorry my friends, but I need some time away from the computer. I'll see you next month!

What I Ate - Day FIVE!

Breakfast -


Toast (from homemade bread) with cream cheese, apple.

Lunch - was leftover sweet and sour pork.

Dinner -

Lettuce, tomato, bell pepper, black beans, green chiles, corn, chicken, salsa.

What I Ate - Day Four

This was one of those days that goes by in a flash. One minute it's the morning and we're heading out to do a couple of errands and the next thing I know it's 6pm and I've destroyed the kitchen making a new batch of baby food.

Breakfast -

2 low fat Eggo waffles (who knew they came in low fat??) with blueberries and maple syrup.



Lunch - forgot to take a photo. Think it's pretty good I made it to day 4 before I forgot. Veggie wrap (lettuce, cheese, tomato, onions, peppers, avocado) with watermelon and broccoli.

Dinner -

Homemade sweet and sour pork over rice. Edamame on the side.

What I Ate - Day Three

We are moving slow around here today, the baby hardly slept last night and I feel like a zombie this morning. Of course I have a thousand things I wanted to accomplish today, but I think all I will get done is sitting on the floor with the baby.


Breakfast - scrambled egg and egg whites with feta cheese and salsa, 1/2 a sunflower seed bun, watermelon.

Lunch/snack


I can't believe it's already 3:45. The baby just fell asleep, so I'm going to eat a toasted bagel with hot sauce and cheese and tomato, then try to get some stuff done. I've got 2 loaves of bread in the oven, and some muffins made but I didn't get the soup made that was supposed to be lunch. I'm going to go sit and relax for a few minutes and then make the soup for dinner. What a day.

Dinner


I only got one soup made, so it was cauliflower soup and roast beef sandwiches. The sandwich is on today's homemade bread, thankyouverymuch. Apple slices as well.

What I Ate - Day Two

Breakfast - Green tea.



Lunch - went to a corn roast/bbq in a parking lot. Had a half cob of corn and half a smokie with onions. My hands were too buttery to take a photo of the corn.



Dinner - maui ribs, grilled fingerling potato slices, grilled corn.

Dinner was pretty disappointing, the maui ribs I bought at the butcher today were TOUGH. We ate them, but Scott said afterwards he would have been happy with the corn and potatos only. I agreed, but I hate wasting money and food. There is one piece of ribs left, who knows if it will get eaten, or sit in the fridge until it's time to toss it out.
I have no menu plan so far this week, fyi.

What I Ate - Day One

Oh you lucky people you. I don't know what you've done to deserve it, but for the next 7 days I'll be posting photos of everything I eat. No, no, you don't have to thank me.

Breakfast -

Whole wheat bagel with low fat herb and garlic cream cheese, cucumber, tomato and hot sauce. Skim milk.

Lunch

Frozen veggie dumplings.

Dinner

Quesadilla with chicken, onion, artichoke and cheese with salsa, leftover noodles and strawberries.

Bread Baking Babes - Sweet Portuguese Bread

I'm back in the bread making saddle again. We had a rainy cooler day here so I was able to get into the kitchen to make this months bread - Sweet Portuguese Bread from Tanna at My Kitchen in Half Cups. This is a bread that Tanna came up with for her neighbor whose Mother used to make this bread when she was young.
What a rich bread, with eggs, butter and brown sugar. Oh, and some ground flax added for health. :)
This was a great bread to play with. The dough was lovely and fragrant from the sugar and lemon. Tanna suggested we customize the sweetness of our bread - from 30 to 100 grams of sugar. Tanna preferred 30. I went with 70 which was very nice; when I made it again I might try a little more.

The only problem I had was with the shaping. I guess I didn't press in hard enough with my rolling pin. After the final rise you could hardly see the lines. Scott wanted me to slash them in with a knife but I didn't (and I should have), so the loaves came out basically smooth on top. To disguise that I brushed them with butter and sprinkled with more sugar.





This is truly a delicious bread! Delicious toast and even more wonderful French Toast. Yum yum. Yes, I think I'll be making this again, scorching temperatures or not.

***Edited to add***

I did make the bread again, I wanted to see if I could do a better job with the design. Although the dough got off to a great start, it hardly rose in the oven, leaving us with 2 loaves of bread barely a couple of inches high. I went with less sugar the second time, as I wanted to use them as "multi purpose" loaves of bread. Oddly in addition to the shortness of the bread, they were also very dry. Strange, considering I baked them less time than the recipe calls for.

The design came out a little more pronounced though. No pictures, cause I'm bummed about the height.

If you'd like to be a Buddy, make the bread, and send your post to Tanna by August 29.

Recipe here, at Tannas.

Grocery Shop, August 14

Technically a farmers market shop.

From my favorite stand, Thistle Farms.
Organic zucchini, organic squash, organic red fingerling potatos, organic green beans, organic onions.

$15

The 2 squashes and beans are for the baby. This morning I am cooking up more food to freeze for him - the above as well as some frozen organic peas. I was going to split the potatos between him and us but I think I'll keep them for us - they look so delicious!

Maple Leaf Prime Pork Recipe Contest

Now here's something I've never done before - enter a recipe contest! The very nice people at Maple Leaf are holding a contest for Western Canada bloggers and food lovers and you (the people) are the judges!

Starting August 11, visit Maple Leaf's Prime Pork Facebook page here to see all the recipes using Maple Leaf Prime Pork. You can vote once a day between now and October 15. And voters in Western Canada will be eligible to receive a 50% off coupon for Maple Leaf Prime Pork! So vote, and vote often for me for your favorite.


Pork Skewers with Almond Butter Satay Sauce and Coconut Pineapple Rice

Serves 4-6

I made this sauce with almond butter for those who can't have peanuts. If you prefer, use peanut butter in place of the almond butter.

1 (Maple Leaf Prime) pork tenderloin

Marinade
1 tb finely chopped fresh ginger
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
1 tsp soy sauce
3 tb brown sugar
1/2 tsp hot chile flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp curry powder
2 tb vegetable oil

Almond Butter Satay Sauce
1/2 cup almond butter
2 tb soy sauce
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tb brown sugar
2 tb hot water
1 1/2 tsp Sriracha sauce (chile garlic sauce)
1 tb lemon juice

Coconut Pineapple Rice
1 1/2 cups long grain rice
1 cup coconut milk
1 1/4 cups water
2 tb chopped chives (or finely chopped green onions)
1/2 cup diced pineapple

Cut the tenderloin into slices 1/2 inch thick. Flatten slightly with a meat mallet. Stir together all marinade ingredients in a large bowl, add the pork and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Mix together all the satay sauce ingredients. Thin with additional water if necessary. Set aside.

Make the rice: combine the rice, coconut milk and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the chives and pineapple, cover and let stand for 10 minutes.

While the rice is cooking preheat a grill or broiler. Thread pork onto skewers if desired. Grill or broil on both sides until just cooked through.

Serve pork skewers on top of coconut rice with satay sauce on the side.

Cinnamon Bun French Toast

I found these photos lurking about on my computer so I thought I'd share this with you. This is from last year, the fall I think, before the baby was born. I met up with Mary and Stephanie online and we made cinnamon buns. They were delicious, although don't ask me for the recipe, I have no idea where it came from. I think I made 12 buns, which is a lot for 2 people, even when one of those is ginormously pregnant and so when the last few started to go stale I decided to make them into french toast, just to do something different.

I cut the buns in half through their middles:

And whisked together some eggs, milk, vanilla and cinnamon, in which I briefly soaked the buns.

I cooked them as you do "regular" french toast - over medium heat until golden brown on both sides.

Smeared with a little butter and some maple syrup, they were a delicious, and a little different, breakfast.

3 ingredients - Pineapple Batido

Pineapple Batido

1 cup diced fresh pineapple
1/2 cup skim milk
1 tsp sugar

Place all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.

source unknown

Grocery Shop, July 25

Milk, Clamato, organic bananas, organic apples, peaches, snow peas, organic cauliflower, plums, english muffins, corn, cherries, organic prunes.
Total $29.27
Saved $9.22

I stopped by the store this morning because I needed milk, and Paxton is almost out of food (frozen in the Baby Cubes). The bananas, apples, cauliflower and prunes are for him - I'll cook and freeze the last 3 and the bananas will just be mushed on an as needed basis. I also cut some rhubarb from the garden this morning and will stew that and maybe mix them with some apple for him.

It's blisteringly hot here and our garden is complete crap. Our lettuce and onions didn't even sprout, our tomato plants look awful, as do our strawberries and raspberries. The peas aren't doing too bad, and I'm holding out hope for the carrots.

Again, I am not a Babe. Again.

Ugh. 2 months in a row I've not baked the bread of my Bread Baking Babes. I'm not going to let it hit 3.

Please check out the Babes (listed over on the LEFT now) and see what they thought of this months bread - Yeasted Sprouted Wheat Bread from Lynn at Cookie Baker Lynn. It seems like a really interesting bread, and I hope we get lots of Buddies that try it.

Now, 2 pieces of news about the Bread Baking Babes.

First, we've committed ourselves to a schedule. So every month we'll be posting about the bread on the 16th, and every month buddies have until the 29th. Very sensible.

Second, we've grown! Please say a big hello to our 4 new Babes -
Elizabeth from blog from OUR kitchen
Elle from Feeding My Enthusiasms
Astrid from Paulchens FoodBlog
Susan from Wild Yeast

We're getting bigger, better and funner!

Happy Friday

The French Women Don't Get Fat Cookbook

A few years ago a book came out that grabbed the interest of people (me included) looking to drop a few pounds - French Women Don't Get Fat. The book, which offered tips on how to eat well - very well - and be a healthy weight was a sensation. Finally after a few years wait Mirelle Guiliano is back with a companion book of recipes, The French Women Don't Get Fat Cookbook.

Sadly for me, I am still in the position I was a few years ago, still chubby (but a little less though!), and still looking for advice and tips to shed these dammed extra pounds. After quite a while of gaining and losing the same weight over and over again, it finally dawned on me what my biggest problem is. I like to cook. I like to eat. And while I want to lose weight and be healthy, I don't want be stuck on a restrictive diet, eating the same 2 or 3 things over and over again. Because I'll rebel. Big time.

If you're a dork like me, or just interested in really good food that is also good for you, you'll want to see this book.

This book is about eating well, about eating healthfully. About not starving yourself and not sacrificing the good things in life. The author is passionate about food and her recipes are delicious proof.

I love the design of the book - the illustrations are charming, and the writing is witty and easygoing. It has the feel that the author is sitting in the chair next to you, sharing tips over coffee.

For my review I tried 3 recipes:

Asparagus with yogurt dressing


Chicken en Croute Fiona Style


Sweet and Sour Carrot Salad



There is no other way for me to express how I felt about these recipes, other than to say OH MY GOD OH MY GOD. The dishes were delicious. The recipes were easy to prepare and the instructions were clear. Did I mention they were delicious? These recipes are all healthful with natural unprocessed ingredients.

I would recommend this book to well, everyone, for the simple delicious recipes. There is something in here for all palates, whether dieting or not.

Mighty Life List - Make a Pavlova

Some people may have scratched their heads if they'd seen number 39 on my life list - make a pavlova. Because it turns out that a pavlova is easy. Ridiculously easy. It's just egg whites and sugar! Which I knew, but I didn't KNOW. If you know what I mean. No?

Anyhoo, I found this recipe in a recent Food Network Magazine, a Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova from Nigella Lawson.





It was, as I said, insanely easy. And also quite delicious. If I were to make this again (and I might, but first I want to try her pavlova with passionfruit) I would bake it slightly less, maybe 5 to 10 minutes. I also cut back on the whipping cream by half; that just seemed like way too much.

Gazzzzzzzzzzpacho!

It's getting hot in here.....so make some gaz-pach-o!


2 green onions, trimmed and sliced
1 red bell pepper
1 cucumber, peeled and seeded
2 cups V8 or tomato juice
2 cloves garlic
salt and pepper
Worcestershire sauce
lime juice
hot sauce

Place the onions, half the bell pepper, half the cucumber, 1 cup of juice and the garlic in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth and pour into a bowl. Finely dice the remaining bell pepper and cucumber and add to the bowl with the other cup of V8. Season to taste with salt and pepper, W sauce, lime juice and hot sauce. Cover and chill a few hours before serving.

Fix It and Forget It Cookbook

The Fix It and Forget It Cookbook by Phyllis Pellman Good - newly revised and updated - contains 700 recipes for your slow cooker, from breads to drinks to appetizers, mains and more.

As someone who has very little imagination when it comes to my slow cooker a book like this is a great addition to my kitchen. With so many recipes you are bound to find recipes that appeal.

This is a no frills cookbook. There are no photos of finished dishes, no rambling chapter or recipe introductions. Recipes come 2 to 3 to a page. Each recipe comes with serving amounts, prep times, cooking times, and what size of crock pot is ideal. Most have serving suggestions, and some have variations to change up the dish.

The book is peppered (hee hee) with tips and tricks for cooking with crock pots.

I've made 4 recipes from the book so far:

page 208 Sausage Bean Quickie - sausages, beans, and pineapple with a cooking time of 1 to 10 hours. Nice and simple. Delicious.

page 197 One Dish Chicken Supper - this was my favorite! It's like a turkey dinner in a crock pot. Chicken breasts are cooked with cream of mushroom, chicken or celery soup and stove top stuffing. If you ever want a Christmassy dinner without the fuss, make this.

page 40 Taco Soup with Whole Tomatos - another winner. Southwest flavors - beans, corn, onions - without standing over the stove all day.

page 169 Pizza in a Pot - we took the advice of the serving suggestion for this one and served this sausage-y cheesy dish over noodles. Filling and hearty.

The servings in all the recipes are very generous. The taco soup serves 4, I got 8 servings out of it. Ditto with the chicken supper. But when it's a good meal, leftovers are very welcome.

Some people may complain that this book relies heavily on processed food - cream soups, gravy mix, velveeta. Yes, there are plenty of recipes that call for such convenient ingredients. But there are plenty that don't. (Personally, I am fond of occasional sauces made with canned cream of mushroom soup.) Many many recipes are full of healthy wholesome ingredients, and most have no added oil.

I would wholeheartedly recommend the Fix It and Forget It Cookbook for anyone who owns a crock pot. And if you don't, pick one up while you're out buying this book.

Happy Canada Day, and grocery shop June 30

Happy Canada Day to all my fellow Canadians! In BC and Ontario we don't have much to celebrate, as the HST kicks in today, costing us all more money in taxes. You know, just what we need in a recession. And to bring it in on Canada Day? What a kick in the arse.

Moving on! I finally remembered to take a grocery shop photo again.


This is yet another mish mash, I have meals planned for today, last nights dinner, and one more dinner, and the rest is just what it is. We've got -
salsa, eggos, plums, organic frozen peas for the baby, bacon, ground chicken, bell peppers, cucumber, cottage cheese, chips (for Canada Day), ice cream, sushi, juice, steak, hash browns, tomatos, onions, relish, strawberries, sausages, fresh basil, and steak spice.

Our freezer is just jam packed of I don't know what, so I want to work on eating some of the frozen fruit and veggies in there.

Total for the above $88.86. The store I went to doesn't show you your savings on the bill, which sucks.

I'm planning on trying 3 or 4 new recipes today. Hopefully of course they will all turn out, and if they do I'll be sharing with you soon.